Here's chapter 17! In only 5 days!
Its kind of a filler chapter but it does tackle a good amount of stuff in the story.
I also briefly go into Hermione's perspective.
Hope you enjoy it! =)
Chapter 17
Danny got up, mechanically turning himself into his ghost half. He moved with no motivation or enthusiasm trying to gather himself from his sleepy trance. Danny tripped and tumbled around as his senses started to process his surroundings.
He fazed through the door not even making the effort of opening the door. As he floated down the stairs of #12 Grimmauld Place he looked around at the Christmas decorations hanging everywhere in the front hall.
The decorations made the house transform from its dusty, dark demonear to a sweet and welcome home to live in.
Danny fazed himself into the kitchen looking for some food to satisfy his morning hunger. He looked over the room noticing the two Weasley twins talking to Mrs. Weasley. She looked completely miserable with her hands on her face trying to wipe her tears while she sobbed.
"Hey come on" George said putting his hand on his mother's shoulder reassuringly. "He's got dung for a brain anyways."
Molly started to sob and cry harder now. Fred and George looked shocked by the unexpected fit of crying.
The two twins both walked away, giving up on trying comforting their mother. They saw Danny and were surprised at the young ghost in front of them.
They both walked past Danny whispering to him as they passed, "I would leave if I were you mate, she's a wreck."
The two twins left the room, leaving Danny alone with the miserable Molly Weasley.
Danny floated over to the table seating himself across from Molly. Molly didn't even look up at Danny as she continued to sob into her hands. Danny sat across, scared to start any conversion with the woman across from her.
"What's wrong Molly?" Danny said hesitantly.
"Nothing Phantom" Molly said hesitantly.
"You can't really think that there's nothing wrong" Danny remarked.
Molly looked up from her hands and looked straight at Danny. "No, I just don't want to talk about it."
Molly was no longer sobbing like before, but still looked very unhappy. 'So far, so good.' Danny thought.
"Maybe if you talk about it, I can help." Danny said lamely.
Molly thought the offer over and took a deep breath. "Do you know of my son Percy?"
Danny thought it over remembered being told of Percy Weasley and how he left the Weasley family and tried to remove all ties with the family.
"Yes" he replied.
"Well..." Molly started slowly. "I always give the kids a jumper every Christmas, so I sent one to Percy."
Molly had tears start to brim in her eyes as she continued. "I guess he didn't like that so he had sent it back."
"He sent it back without a note!" Molly said breaking down again, tears streaming down her cheeks.
Danny didn't know what to do to stop Molly's crying.
She continued to sob in her hands when Danny spoke up. "Molly, please don't cry. You don't deserve too"
Molly choked out another sob and look up at Danny as he continued. "You're a very good mother. You have so many kids and yet there all good kids. Don't beat yourself up about Percy, he'll eventually find out the truth, but until then. Don't cry over it."
There was an awkward silence following Danny's speech. Danny didn't know where that speech came from, but he felt that was the right thing to say.
Molly looked up at Danny, straight into his glowing green eyes and smiled. "Thanks Phantom."
She started to wipe away any tears that covered her cheeks. "I should be happier; I mean it is Christmas after all"
Danny paused at the statement, 'It's Christmas?' Danny thought, his attitude immediately deflating.
"Oh and before I forget" Molly said walking across the room.
She picked something up from the kitchen counter. As Molly neared Danny noticed the colourful wrapping on a rectangular package.
'A present?' Danny thought confused.
"Merry Christmas, Phantom." Molly said present the gift.
Danny took it in his hands noticing the label on the gift. 'To Phantom, from the Weasley family.'
"You didn't have to do this."
Molly waved her hand, "Don't be ridiculous Phantom. You saved Arthur's life; our family is in debt to you. It's the least we can do"
"Now open it!" Molly said smiling.
Danny started to tear off the wrapping on the gift. Once all the wrapping was off, a clothing box was left. When Danny opened the box he saw a finely knitted sweater.
The sweater itself was black with of silver lines on the sleeves and on the bottom of the sweater. But what really stood was the exact logo that's attached onto Danny's hazmat suit. The logo was perfectly identical only the size was larger than on the hazmat.
"Did you make this?" Danny asked as he inspected the stitching of the sweater.
"Yes, I always make sweaters for the kids." Molly said proudly.
"Thank you, this is amazing" Danny said with a smile.
"I'm glad you like it" Molly said happily.
Christmas celebrations were at full swing in the House of Black. Many members of the order were invited for a Christmas party where Sirius led the charge as he drank his fire whiskey joyfully singing Christmas carols.
The kids of the Order were at the festivities, drinking Butterbeer and talking to lots of the guests.
Danny sat himself in a chair watching the party go on. Since his talk with Molly, Danny's mood has slowly soured as his Christmas memories made him feel out of place in the socializing. Not to mention that invisible barrier between the living and the dead was still there.
He envied the others as they talked with no real secrets to hide, maybe small ones but not like the secrets that Danny deals with. The freedom to talk about anything without trying to dodge or avoid certain topics was almost a mystery to Danny. It had been so long for him to have a true heart to heart conversion that it didn't seem real at all. The past few years have been full of constant secrets, making it almost routine.
Usually Sam, Tucker and Jazz would be reserved for those conversions but now with Danny being part of the wizarding world, he has to keep that a secret from them. They were his only release, the only people that can understand who he really is. And now his this lifestyle has made Danny reclusive towards them.
Why did his life have to be full of secrets? Was it because of what he was, or was it the fear of people knowing the truth about him? That he was some kid that got himself into situations that he should have never been a part of. That he was some sort of freak, even a world full of wizards, dragons, giants, werewolves and goblins he was one of the three only halfas in the world.
One was an old deluded man who's madly in love with his own mother and the other an imperfect clone of himself. Now knowing the truth about how unique a halfa was, made Danny feel more alone than he had thought possible.
Danny's sour mood had now just become pure depression, continuing to have his head down thinking brooding in his misery.
"Hey Phantom" A voice said in the crowd.
Danny looked up from the table looking for whoever was talking to him. Sitting across the table from him was Hermione Granger, taking a sip of her Butterbeer.
"Who's it going?" Hermione asked joyfully.
"Fine" Danny said in no mood for a talk with bushy haired witch.
"Good Christmas?" Hermione said hopefully.
"Yeah I guess" Danny said with a sigh.
"What's wrong Phantom? You seem a little off" Hermione asked.
"I'm fine Hermione; I'm just not a fan of the holidays"
Hermione frowned at that. "Why do you not like the holidays?"
"It-it's a long story." Danny huffed.
"I'd like to hear it." Hermione said
'Maybe talking about will help. It worked for Molly this morning.' Danny thought hopefully.
"See my parents, they're very eccentric." Danny began. "My dad always believed in Santa, while my mom didn't believe in Santa. Every year they'd have a fight about his existence"
"That must have been tough" Hermione said.
"It was unbearable Hermione! One time they so busy fight they forgot about the Christmas turkey!" Danny said furiously. "When I was 7, they forgot about me at the shopping mall. They argued for 5 hours before they even realized that I was missing"
Hermione stared at Danny with a sad expression on her face, looking as though she didn't know what to say.
"I hate the holidays. It always shows some of the worse or best in people and I don't like the chances." Danny replied.
"Come on Phantom, your parents aren't here. You're with us so you might as well try to enjoy yourself." Hermione said.
Hermione's comment panged at Danny's heart, he started to think back to Amity Park and what must have been going on over there.
'Were Mum and Dad still depressed? Did Jazz find a way to cheer them up?' Danny thought miserably. Many of these types of questions came to mind as sat across from Hermione.
Hermione paused as she watched Phantom get more depressed after her snide comment.
Danny looked down at his feet, refusing to look at Hermione anymore.
"I'm sorry, I didn't mean." Hermione apologized
"Just leave me alone" Danny pleaded, not even looking up at Hermione.
Hermione got up from her seat bringing her Butterbeer with her. She looked at Danny sadly one time before she walked off to join the others.
Harry noticed their conversion and was curious about their conversion.
"What did you and Phantom talk about?" Harry asked.
"I asked him what was wrong. Since he looked so miserable, but I think I just made things worse." Hermione said sadly.
"Yeah he really didn't look..." Harry said looking over at Phantom's direction. "Hey where did he go?"
Hermione looked over to where Phantom sat, or where he used to sit.
Hermione frowned, "He must have left"
Hermione hoped the best for the young spectre. Based on what he said, Hermione guessed that the ghost must not have died that long ago.
The thought really depressed Hermione. To think that Phantom must have living relatives mourning him while he continued to exist, while Phantom watched them die. The thought made Hermione's stomach clench.
'Maybe that's what a halfa is.' Hermione thought.
Ok I hope you liked the chapter. (I hate how I ended it)
To Blood of the Dawn: I decided to not have Danny talk to Harry about possession, even if he's the greatest canditdate for it. Why? Well there's two reasons.
1. How do you start that type of conversion?
2. Danny's part of the Order, Danny's not supposed to know that Harry listened in.
To any other readers that wanted that, sorry but I thought it would be too awkward for the story.
IMPORTANT!
I'm very pumped for the next chapter! And you should be too!
Something big plot wise is going to happen, and two Danny Phantom villians will be included!
I would love to hear who you think I'm going to include, just Review who you think it'll be?
Until next time,
Prophet =P